Poll Highlights Poor Public Perception of Supreme Court
A poll completed by Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research reveals a poor public opinion of the United States Supreme Court. Only 35 percent of respondents gave the Court a favorable job rating, and, “by a nearly two-to-one ratio, Americans say Supreme Court justices often let their own personal or political views influence their decisions rather than deciding cases based on legal analysis.” Respondents also overwhelmingly disapproved of the Court’s recent rulings regarding campaign finance. “When presented with a neutral description of the Citizens United ruling along with two equally balanced arguments from both sides of the debate . . . an overwhelming 80 percent majority of Americans oppose the decision.” Respondents were also shown seven possible reforms that could make the Court more transparent and accountable. Five of those reforms received “support from at least 70 percent of Americans.” The most popular reform, supported by 85 percent of respondents, would be to require justices to adhere to the U.S. Judicial Code of Conduct; while other federal judges are bound to this Code, Supreme Court justices are not. Eighty percent of respondents strongly supported requiring justices to “disclose any outside activities paid for by others.” The poll also found that the majority of respondents would like to “abolish the practice of lifetime appointments” and “allow television cameras to film the Court’s proceedings and broadcast them live to the American people.”